In automotive vehicles, it has been common to provide a fuel filler door that is normally closed over a fuel filler opening. In one type of system, the fuel filler door is spring loaded toward an open position and is held in the closed position by a latch. The latch may be either electrically or manually operated. In the manual type system, a cable extends from the latch to a hand lever adjacent the driver of the vehicle so that when the hand lever is pulled, the latch is released and the fuel filler door is unlocked.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a manually operated fuel filler door release system which includes a release device that is constructed and arranged such that the entire system need not be removed to repair or replace the device; which system provides for connection and disconnection without the use of tools; and which system also includes an auxiliary release within the vehicle.
In accordance with the invention, the fuel filler door release system comprises a spring loaded fuel filler door, a latch normally holding the door closed, and a fuel filler door release device including a first strand connected at one end to a remote manually operated lever and releasably connected at the other end to a spring loaded plunger of the release device. A second strand is releasably connected to the plunger and extends to the latch of the fuel filler door. A third strand is connected to the plunger and extends to a pull tab within the vehicle for providing auxiliary release for the fuel filler door.